The gsp2101

[FrankD77]

After some issues with the seller i got my 2101

Replaced the tubes and must say I'm surprised by the sound. It's running 1.03 so will have to upgrade to the extra board and artist. But so far I'm impressed (as always) with how good these 80-90s rack gear sound.

 

[FrankD77]

Maybe a tip you already know but for those who do not

By using a device like the 2101 I love the sound when I play but most of the time what I play sounds like too much or too little in the mix.
So I've been testing a method of connecting in logic that works like a charm, and I hope I can help someone with this.

When I look at the 2101 we have a pre-amp and effects unit.
Straight out sounds terrible so we need something to add cabs/mics.

I'm using a patch panel with the following connections.
Pre-amp out into the X32 console as my dry track.
From the UMC1820 I connect 2 in/outputs to the send/return of the 2101.

Now in logic it can be a bit tricky with the order.
First route the dry track to it's own track "DRY".
Now add to this track FIRST the cabsim (in my case Torpedo wall of sound).
Below that create an IO plugin with the SEND/RETURN of the 2101

Now create a new track with the same input as the RETURN of the 2101.
When you play back you will not hear the dry track (due to the noise gate in the 2101) but just deselect the IO plugin for playback.
You can now later change the balance between effects and dry, or even re amp the whole track through the effects of the 2101 *turn off the noisegate.

In my setup you can also see I'm using a separate bus for the Lexicon MX300.
I always record my FX on a separate track since I started using it, you can use one device on many tracks with different settings and it's like working on a RAW file in Lightroom, you can always go back to the start.

Another advantage is that you can just add another preamp or even a whole rig through the Torpedo X or mics (just disable the noise gate in the 2101) this way.

There is one thing I can't get to work and that is the ping to the 2101
On all other devices this works like a charm but somehow the 2101 refuses the ping, so I just added a number and you can always later zoom in and readjust the wave form.

Final addition.
Make sure you place the tracks in a group with edit synced, this way when you record several takes you are comping all tracks instead of just one

Hope this helps someone.

 

[Papanate]

I'm using a patch panel with the following connections.
Pre-amp out into the X32 console as my dry track.
From the UMC1820 I connect 2 in/outputs to the send/return of the 2101.

The GSP2101 has a mono FX out - are you using a splitter cable or something?

Now in logic it can be a bit tricky with the order.
First route the dry track to it's own track "DRY".
Now add to this track FIRST the cabsim (in my case Torpedo wall of sound).

The Cab simulator on the GSP2101 doesn’t sound good?

Below that create an IO plugin with the SEND/RETURN of the 2101

Now create a new track with the same input as the RETURN of the 2101.
When you play back you will not hear the dry track (due to the noise gate in the 2101) but just deselect the IO plugin for playback.
You can now later change the balance between effects and dry, or even re amp the whole track through the effects of the 2101 *turn off the noisegate.

I’m not following - the noise gate should effect both the dry and effects signal.

Another advantage is that you can just add another preamp or even a whole rig through the Torpedo X or mics (just disable the noise gate in the 2101) this way.

Do you run the additional preamp through the same Torpedo - obviously then you don’t use both preamps at the same time - or do you?

There is one thing I can't get to work and that is the ping to the 2101
On all other devices this works like a charm but somehow the 2101 refuses the ping, so I just added a number and you can always later zoom in and readjust the wave form.

Where is it going to ping through? The audio cable?

 

[FrankD77]

No splitter is needed.
You can go mono in and stereo out. The pre amp itself is also mono.

The IO app is needed to insert and effect into a channel or buss. Due to the conversion there is a slight difference in timing. The IO app "solves" this with a ping. Although the unit functions i don't get the ping through. I've done it with several devices in my rack.

The NG on the 2101 is closing if there is no input signal. So when using a different preamp via the FX i needed to turn of the NG. This was with version 1.03. I'm now at 3.0 since this week so that might have changed.

 

[Papanate]

No splitter is needed. You can go mono in and stereo out. The pre amp itself is also mono.

I know but you said 'From the UMC1820 I connect 2 in/outputs to the send/return of the 2101.’ - it sounded like you were sending a stereo signal into a mono input.

The IO app is needed to insert and effect into a channel or buss. Due to the conversion there is a slight difference in timing. The IO app "solves" this with a ping. Although the unit functions i don't get the ping through. I've done it with several devices in my rack.

What’s the I/O app? Is this a product of your X32 Control Surface in Logic?

The NG on the 2101 is closing if there is no input signal. So when using a different preamp via the FX i needed to turn of the NG. This was with version 1.03. I'm now at 3.0 since this week so that might have changed.

I don’t mean to be so dumb - but this doesn’t make sense with what you said - 'Now create a new track with the same input as the RETURN of the 2101. When you play back you will not hear the dry track (due to the noise gate in the 2101) but just deselect the IO plugin for playback.’ - that’s not how a NoiseGate works - unless the NoiseGate is only on the Main signal and not the effect signal?

 

[FrankD77]

No problem.
The 2101 is a digitech unit with a mono pre amp and stereo FX

So the send is mono and the return is mono or stereo. When using it with the legacy drive for practice just plug it into the mono return and get stereo effects.

When recording i route both separate. So the legacy drive comes into the x32 mono and is routed via the IO plugin in logic to the external interface with a stereo send/return. Both get their own tracks.

You can even use a buss with a lexicon for example for reverb.

The noise gate is a 2101 thing it seems. To get the system to work without active guitar input is to turn the noise gate off. And make sure the FX is on sum or no sum.

When playing back the track you don't want the FX in the chain seeing the FX is on a separate track. That's another reason


The IO app is a logic utility that makes it possible to use an external interface as send and return. I have 4 external stereo FX 3 via the UMC anologue and the MX300 with SPdif

When you see it working it's super simple.

 

[DrewPeterson7]

Buddy of mine used to swear by these, and still thinks they hold up pretty well.

I'm pretty much a guitar-into-amp guy so it, and almost all of his patches, were overkill for me, but there was a time where this was a cutting edge preamp, and we haven't gone THAT far from those days.

 

[FrankD77]

I've took a few days to go through every preset and "normalize" them. The gain on all are on 11 and when i lowered them to 3-5 the pre amp sounded really good. And you can hear the difference between the two tubes.

If someone want i can send them the presets.
Have to find a way to do a complete backup. For now i just saved them while editing

 

[Papanate]

The noise gate is a 2101 thing it seems. To get the system to work without active guitar input is to turn the noise gate off. And make sure the FX is on sum or no sum.
When playing back the track you don't want the FX in the chain seeing the FX is on a separate track. That's another reason

Call me the Dumbest Bunny - but that doesn’t make a lick of sense to me - What do you mean ‘to get the system to work without active guitar input is to turn the noise gate off.’? - so the system doesn’t work with an active guitar? Obviously it does - I can’t wrap my head around this - it must not be a noise gate you are using - but a routing scheme - so it sends the guitar out the mains and the effects out the FX and two signals do not cross.

 

[FrankD77]

For me it also doesn't make sense. But it seems the 2101 disables the whole chain when the noise gate is active and doesn't see an input in the analogue part.

I found a few posts about the same issue when using it as FX or with another pre amp. That's how I found out why i got no signal disabled the NG and it worked. Drove me nuts to be honest.

You would expect it only disables the analogue part.

 

[FrankD77]

Double checked today.
When using the digital effects without using the internal pre amp the noise gate has to stay disabled.

I agree it doesn't make sense